Dreaming of Draft Stars- Robert Kaminsky

by Jared Webb @webberoo11

Robert Kaminsky  6'0”/188 LHP

High School in New Jersey

DOB-09-02-1994

 

2013 is said to be a weak draft, but for me it's a small slice of heaven.  This draft is absolutely filled with lefties!!  I'll admit that I have a slight obsession with left handed pitching, and I refuse to apologize for it. 

Kaminsky is one of the good ones in this draft.  One can't help but notice that Rob is listed at 6'0”, which automatically draws the "undersized" label.  However, when it comes to LHP, I don't care if you're blind and someone has to point you in the direction of the plate. 

Despite his lack of size, Kaminsky has an arm that makes him a worthy first round draft candidate.  His FB hovers in the low 90's and can ramp up to 95 on occasion.  Locating his FB is a talent that he seems to have over his fellow prep lefties. 

His curve drops off a table, and he already can use it effectively to send hitters back to their comfy seats on the bench.  Wait!! That's not all!!  He also has a change-up that he uses with good arm action and controls well.  The change-up is the weakest of his three pitches.  That's not really a big deal considering that his FB and curve are both very strong offerings.  The main reason I would love for the Astros to call Kaminsky's name is his command, which fr a prep player is much more advanced than it should be.   Considering he has two plus pitches and great command, he could move through any system quickly.

Now that I've raved about him for a bit, let's talk about why Kaminsky could slip to the 2nd round. 

Remember that guy with the fish name (I refuse to say his name) who the Astros skipped over so they could select Jio Mier a few years ago? Scouts didn't love him partially due to the fact that he played in New Jersey.  The northeast tends to be a weird draft region due to the season starting late, and "lesser" competition. 

The next knock against Kaminsky is that while the other prep lefties range from 6'2”-6'6”, he is listed at 6'0” (and in some places 5'11”).  All that said, let’s hope that Kaminsky slides to 2.1 and Mr. Luhnow decides to give him a new home in Houston’s wonderful farm system. 

C2013 by Jared Webb.  Used with permission.